Objectives: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a prevalent mental health condition that impacts daily life. It is thought to be associated with genetic, biological, and structural brain changes, serotonergic abnormalities, altered neuromodulation, and environmental factors.Limited observational studies have examined cytokines in Bangladeshi patients with OCD. This study aimed to assess the levels of eotaxin-1 and interleukin (IL)-34 in individuals with this disorder. Methods: This case-control observational study included 58 patients with OCD and 30 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age, sex, and body mass index. The severity of OCD was assessed using the Yale-Brown obsessive-compulsive scale (Y-BOCS). Psychiatrists evaluated participants according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Serum levels of eotaxin-1 and IL-34 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results: Patients with OCD exhibited significantly higher serum eotaxin-1 levels (121.13 ± 7.84pg/mL) than HCs (85.52 ± 9.42 pg/mL). Conversely, IL-34 levels were considerably lower in patients than in HCs (119.02 ± 14.53 pg/mL vs. 179.96 ± 27.88 pg/mL). The Cohen d values for eotaxin-1 and IL-34 were 0.55 and −0.48, respectively. Among patients with OCD, a significantpositive correlation was found between serum eotaxin-1 level and Y-BOCS score, along with a negative correlation between serum eotaxin-1 and IL-34 levels. Conclusion The findings suggest that altered eotaxin-1 and IL-34 levels may be associated withOCD. These chemokines and cytokines could serve as primary tools for assessing the risk of OCD, warranting further clinical investigation. This could potentially support more extensive research and the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways.

Objectives: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a prevalent mental health condition that impacts daily life. It is thought to be associated with genetic, biological, and structural brain changes, serotonergic abnormalities, altered neuromodulation, and environmental factors.Limited observational studies have examined cytokines in Bangladeshi patients with OCD. This study aimed to assess the levels of eotaxin-1 and interleukin (IL)-34 in individuals with this disorder. Methods: This case-control observational study included 58 patients with OCD and 30 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age, sex, and body mass index. The severity of OCD was assessed using the Yale-Brown obsessive-compulsive scale (Y-BOCS). Psychiatrists evaluated participants according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Serum levels of eotaxin-1 and IL-34 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results: Patients with OCD exhibited significantly higher serum eotaxin-1 levels (121.13 ± 7.84pg/mL) than HCs (85.52 ± 9.42 pg/mL). Conversely, IL-34 levels were considerably lower in patients than in HCs (119.02 ± 14.53 pg/mL vs. 179.96 ± 27.88 pg/mL). The Cohen d values for eotaxin-1 and IL-34 were 0.55 and −0.48, respectively. Among patients with OCD, a significantpositive correlation was found between serum eotaxin-1 level and Y-BOCS score, along with a negative correlation between serum eotaxin-1 and IL-34 levels. Conclusion The findings suggest that altered eotaxin-1 and IL-34 levels may be associated withOCD. These chemokines and cytokines could serve as primary tools for assessing the risk of OCD, warranting further clinical investigation. This could potentially support more extensive research and the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways.

Objectives: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a prevalent mental health condition that impacts daily life. It is thought to be associated with genetic, biological, and structural brain changes, serotonergic abnormalities, altered neuromodulation, and environmental factors.Limited observational studies have examined cytokines in Bangladeshi patients with OCD. This study aimed to assess the levels of eotaxin-1 and interleukin (IL)-34 in individuals with this disorder. Methods: This case-control observational study included 58 patients with OCD and 30 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age, sex, and body mass index. The severity of OCD was assessed using the Yale-Brown obsessive-compulsive scale (Y-BOCS). Psychiatrists evaluated participants according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Serum levels of eotaxin-1 and IL-34 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results: Patients with OCD exhibited significantly higher serum eotaxin-1 levels (121.13 ± 7.84pg/mL) than HCs (85.52 ± 9.42 pg/mL). Conversely, IL-34 levels were considerably lower in patients than in HCs (119.02 ± 14.53 pg/mL vs. 179.96 ± 27.88 pg/mL). The Cohen d values for eotaxin-1 and IL-34 were 0.55 and −0.48, respectively. Among patients with OCD, a significantpositive correlation was found between serum eotaxin-1 level and Y-BOCS score, along with a negative correlation between serum eotaxin-1 and IL-34 levels. Conclusion The findings suggest that altered eotaxin-1 and IL-34 levels may be associated withOCD. These chemokines and cytokines could serve as primary tools for assessing the risk of OCD, warranting further clinical investigation. This could potentially support more extensive research and the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways.

Objectives: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a prevalent mental health condition that impacts daily life. It is thought to be associated with genetic, biological, and structural brain changes, serotonergic abnormalities, altered neuromodulation, and environmental factors.Limited observational studies have examined cytokines in Bangladeshi patients with OCD. This study aimed to assess the levels of eotaxin-1 and interleukin (IL)-34 in individuals with this disorder. Methods: This case-control observational study included 58 patients with OCD and 30 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age, sex, and body mass index. The severity of OCD was assessed using the Yale-Brown obsessive-compulsive scale (Y-BOCS). Psychiatrists evaluated participants according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Serum levels of eotaxin-1 and IL-34 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results: Patients with OCD exhibited significantly higher serum eotaxin-1 levels (121.13 ± 7.84pg/mL) than HCs (85.52 ± 9.42 pg/mL). Conversely, IL-34 levels were considerably lower in patients than in HCs (119.02 ± 14.53 pg/mL vs. 179.96 ± 27.88 pg/mL). The Cohen d values for eotaxin-1 and IL-34 were 0.55 and −0.48, respectively. Among patients with OCD, a significantpositive correlation was found between serum eotaxin-1 level and Y-BOCS score, along with a negative correlation between serum eotaxin-1 and IL-34 levels. Conclusion The findings suggest that altered eotaxin-1 and IL-34 levels may be associated withOCD. These chemokines and cytokines could serve as primary tools for assessing the risk of OCD, warranting further clinical investigation. This could potentially support more extensive research and the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways.

Objectives: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a prevalent mental health condition that impacts daily life. It is thought to be associated with genetic, biological, and structural brain changes, serotonergic abnormalities, altered neuromodulation, and environmental factors.Limited observational studies have examined cytokines in Bangladeshi patients with OCD. This study aimed to assess the levels of eotaxin-1 and interleukin (IL)-34 in individuals with this disorder. Methods: This case-control observational study included 58 patients with OCD and 30 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age, sex, and body mass index. The severity of OCD was assessed using the Yale-Brown obsessive-compulsive scale (Y-BOCS). Psychiatrists evaluated participants according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Serum levels of eotaxin-1 and IL-34 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results: Patients with OCD exhibited significantly higher serum eotaxin-1 levels (121.13 ± 7.84pg/mL) than HCs (85.52 ± 9.42 pg/mL). Conversely, IL-34 levels were considerably lower in patients than in HCs (119.02 ± 14.53 pg/mL vs. 179.96 ± 27.88 pg/mL). The Cohen d values for eotaxin-1 and IL-34 were 0.55 and −0.48, respectively. Among patients with OCD, a significantpositive correlation was found between serum eotaxin-1 level and Y-BOCS score, along with a negative correlation between serum eotaxin-1 and IL-34 levels. Conclusion The findings suggest that altered eotaxin-1 and IL-34 levels may be associated withOCD. These chemokines and cytokines could serve as primary tools for assessing the risk of OCD, warranting further clinical investigation. This could potentially support more extensive research and the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways.

Background:Arsenic(As)is a toxic element that can lead to various health issues in humans.The primary exposure to As is through the consumption of water contaminated with high As levels,particularly in Bangladesh.Previous studies have shown that urinary arsenic(UAs)concentration can reflect As exposure and metabolism in individuals.However,little is known about how other factors,such as age,sex,and socioeconomic status,may affect UAs concentrations in children. Objective:This study aimed to investigate the influence of factors such as age,sex,and socioeconomic status on UAs concentrations in children,in addition to the impact of drinking water arsenic(WAs)levels. Methods:We conducted our study on elementary school-going children aged 8-11 years from rural Araihazar in Bangladesh.We measured UAs(available for a subset of 391 children)and WAs levels and collected information on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.We employed regression analysis and t-tests to analyze the data. Results:Our findings revealed that younger children(β=197.95,95％confidence interval[CI]:111.97 to 283.94),female children(β=93.95,95％CI:8.49 to 179.40),and children with less educated fathers(β=138.03,95％CI:26.47 to 249.58)had higher UAs levels,particularly when they consumed water with high As content. Conclusion:The study concludes that children's As exposure and UAs concentration may vary depending on their age,sex,and socioeconomic status.Therefore,these factors should be considered when assessing the health risks associated with As.

Objective: The aim of the current research was to analyze the role of subolesin and enolase in feeding and reproduction of H. longicornis by gene silencing. Methods: In this study, we used RNA interference to silence salivary enolase and subolesin in H. longicornis. Unfed female ticks injected with double-stranded RNA targeting subolesin and enolase were attached and fed normally on the rabbit's ear. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to confirm the extent of knockdown. Results: Ticks in the subolesin or enolase dsRNA groups showed knockdown rates of 80% and 60% respectively. Ticks in the combination dsRNA (subolesin and enolase) group showed an 80% knockdown. Knockdown of subolesin and enolase resulted in significant depletion in feeding, blood engorgement weight, attachment rate, and egg laying. Silencing of both resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in tick engorgement, egg laying, egg hatching (15%), and reproduction. Conclusions and Relevance: Our results suggest that subolesin and enolase are an exciting target for future tick control strategies.

This study evaluated the potential repellent and acaricidal effects of 4 essential oils (clove, eucalyptus, lavender, and mint) against the Asian longhorned tick Haemaphysalis longicornis, a vector of various tick-borne diseases in medical and veterinary contexts. Selected for their potential repellent and acaricidal properties, the 4 essential oils were tested on adult and nymph H. longicornis ticks at different concentrations. The experiment assessed mortality rates and repellency, particularly during tick attachment to host skin. There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in tick mortality and repellency scores across all groups. At a 1% concentration, adult tick mortality ranged from 36% to 86%, while nymph mortality ranged from 6% to 97%. Clove oil exhibited notable efficacy, demonstrating high mortality rates of nymphs and adults. Clove oil also displayed strong repellency properties, with a repellency index of 0.05, surpassing those of mint, eucalyptus, and lavender oils. Clove oil showed the highest effectiveness in deterring nonattached adult ticks (90%) and nymphs (95%) when applied to skin. Clove oil was the most effective against adult and nymph ticks, achieving mortality rates of 86% and 97%, respectively, and led to the highest nonattachment rates when applied to skin. In conclusion, essential oils such as clove, eucalyptus, lavender, and mint oils present promising results for tick population control.

Ticks, blood-sucking ectoparasites, spread diseases to humans and animals. Haemaphysalis longicornis is a significant vector for tick-borne diseases in medical and veterinary contexts. Identifying protective antigens in H. longicornis for an anti-tick vaccine is a key tick control strategy. Enolase, a multifunctional protein, significantly converts D-2-phosphoglycerate and phosphoenolpyruvate in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis in cell cytoplasm. This study cloned a complete open reading frame (ORF) of enolase from the H. longicornis tick and characterized its transcriptional and silencing effect. We amplified the full-length cDNA of the enolase gene using rapid amplification of cDNA ends. The complete cDNA, with an ORF of 1,297 nucleotides, encoded a 432-amino acid polypeptide. Enolase of the Jeju strain H. longicornis exhibited the highest sequence similarity with H. flava (98%), followed by Dermacentor silvarum (82%). The enolase motifs identified included N-terminal and C-terminal regions, magnesium binding sites, and several phosphorylation sites. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis indicated that enolase mRNA transcripts were expressed across all developmental stages of ticks and organs such as salivary gland and midgut. RT-PCR showed higher transcript levels in syn-ganglia, suggesting that synganglion nerves influence enolase,s role in tick salivary glands. We injected enolase double-stranded RNA into adult unfed female ticks, after which they were subsequently fed with normal unfed males until they spontaneously dropped off. RNA interference significantly (P<0.05) reduced feeding and reproduction, along with abnormalities in eggs (no embryos) and hatching. These findings suggest enolase is a promising target for future tick control strategies.

Introduction: C-reactive protein (CRP), urea, albumin, CRP/albumin ratio (CAR) and urea/albumin ratio (UAR) could be valuable biomarkers for determining the severity of illness in patients with COVID-19. This study aimed to determine the association between these markers and disease severity in COVID-19 patients on admission and days five to seven after admission. Methods: This retrospective study includes 153 adult COVID-19 patients admitted to Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II and Hospital Ampang from January 2021 to December 2021. Patients’ serum CRP, urea, albumin and creatinine levels were recorded on admission and on days five to seven after admission. The patients were categorised based on the Annex 2e guidelines published by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia and further classified as mild to moderate disease (stages 1-3) and severe to critical illness (stages 4-5). Results: On admission, urea, creatinine, CRP, UAR and CAR were significantly higher in the severe to critical group (p<0.001). The optimal cut-off value for the UAR was 0.16; the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.760, and sensitivity and specificity were 63.6% and 85.7%, respectively. The AUC of the CAR was 0.752, with 54.2% sensitivity and 91.4% specificity at an optimal cut-off value of 1.63. In severe to critical COVID-19 patients, albumin levels decreased significantly on days five to seven after admission, while urea levels remained significantly higher in this group (p<0.001, p<0.05, respectively). Conclusion: CRP, urea, albumin, CAR and UAR are promising biomarkers for predicting the severity of disease in COVID-19 patients.